Five Minus One Equals Four, One Plus One Equals Two
by xxKerii-tan
Summary: "But it's okay. I don't care what people say, and you shouldn't either. All that matters is us, right?"


_"Poor thing..." _They say, _"How sad." "Not only is he awfully young and frail, but blind as well." _Whispering behind hands. _"Too bad he can't see..." "Poor Lucas."_

"They don't _get it_, Lucas!" Claus exclaims angrily as he crosses his legs on his bed, waiting for his cumbersome twin to get into his pajamas. "They don't _understand _that you can manage perfectly fine without your eyesight!"

Lucas turns around at the voice of his brother and cocks his head to the side, his mouth and eyebrows all scrunched up, uncertainty on his face. "Um... Well yeah, but..."

"No, it's true and you know it!" Claus huffs, causing his bangs to fluff up across his face. He holds up his hand and points to each finger, counting on them. "You can do your own chores, you can tend to the gardens, dress yourself, eat, even walk to town by yourself and know where you are! I can't believe they think you're like, stupid and can't do a single thing or something..."

Rolling his eyes, Lucas crosses the room slowly until his foot hits the bed softly, and plops down next to Claus. He gives him a comfortable pat on the shoulder matched with a reassuring smile.

"It's _okay_, Claus. I don't really mind what other people say about me..."

"But I do!" He slams his hands down on the bed, facing Lucas. "It annoys me! Because I _know _what you're capable of..." Claus trails off when Lucas grabs his hand and guides him down under the covers, huddling closer together.

"I understand what you're saying, you know..." He says softly, his blind gaze lowered as his hand moves up Claus's arm to his sleeve, who sighs heavily. "But it's okay. I don't care what people say, and you shouldn't either." The hand stops moving at his neck to play with the collar of Claus's nightshirt. He continues quietly, his voice so small that it comes out as a squeaky whisper. "All that matters is us, right?"

Claus is extremely thankful that his brother can't see for a moment because if he saw what color his face was right now... He'd be double-embarrassed.

"Ye...yeah."

Lucas's hand travels upward again, as if his fingers were curious, searching. Claus lets him trace the dip below his chin and above his neck and the soft, curved outline of his jaw, all the while staring at the unfocused icy blue eyes in front of him. Not a cold icy blue, but a soft, inviting icy blue. Claus is vaguely reminded of how the sky looks during the winter on a clear day and mentally nods in approval at his comparison.

Lucas's fingers pause once again, but on his mouth this time. Claus tries as best he can to peer down his nose to look, but his head starts hurting a little. After a moment of curious fingers brushing against his lips softly, he grins slightly and sticks his tongue out, touching Lucas's skin for a split second.

"Ah!" He yelps in surprise, his hand retracting instantly as Claus is filled with laughter, giggling and snorting at his brother's reaction. "What was that for...?" He asks in a sad tone, pouting slightly and wiping his assaulted fingers on the bed.

Claus manages to swallow down his laughter before answering, "How couldn't I? You wouldn't move your hand or anything, I had to seize the opportunity..." He starts chuckling from the memory and Lucas paps his shoulder playfully, making a whining noise.

"Well, I can do fine without my eyesight, anyways." He says in a slight matter-of-fact tone. "I can taste the food you make for me, smell the sunflowers in the field, um, feel my surroundings to know where I am, and... uh, hear people's voices and know who and where they are!"

Claus sighs, dropping his shoulders. "Yeah, I _know_. That's what I've been _saying_."

"And I'm agreeing with you!"

"What about me?"

Lucas blinks. "Huh?"

"I said," Claus takes a breath and folds his arms under the blankets. "What about me?"

"About you?"

"Yes, about me."

"Um... Well..." Realizing what Claus had meant, Lucas slowly lifts his hand up and pats his twin's hair. "I can feel your hair. It's soft. And red, right? I think..."

Claus nods. "Yeah."

"I can also recognize your scent... It's pretty distinct..."

"Yeah..."

"I can hear you, too. I know your voice by heart...Your breathing at night..."

Claus waits, looking at Lucas expectantly. The blonde twin quirks his mouth and seems a little flustered for a moment. "Um, but... I'm not sure how I could...taste...you? Sorry..., Claus..."

The two lay in silence, thinking. Lucas squirms uncomfortably and feels a little guilty because he couldn't come up with the one last thing for his twin. Who happens to be in almost the same position; squirming and nervous.

Claus blinks and looks the other way. "Well, I have an idea."

"Okay," Lucas replies with raised eyebrows, straightening himself out in anticipation and readying his ears to hear it.

Instead, he feels it. Against his lips.

It takes him a second before he realizes what's touching his mouth is Claus's _own_. He can feel his eyes widen in slight shock, feel the soft and almost tentative and nervous surface his lips are against, feel his heart begin to bounce off the walls of his chest. He can smell the intensity of Claus's scent nearby, the smell of the soap they use to wash their hair with, and he can smell the outside air clinging to his skin because Claus spends so much time out there. Lucas can hear the blood rushing to his head, his heart thumping in his chest, and maybe he can hear Claus's too or is it all in his head? He can almost hear nothing at all; his head got a little fuzzy after the first second and then all he heard what was pounding in his ears loudly. He couldn't see a thing but he imagined that if he were to associate this exact moment with colors, they'd be bursting everywhere. Bright ones, everywhere. As for taste...

The chaste kiss lasts for about seven point two seconds total, full of Lucas analyzing his 5(-1) senses, while Claus panicked a little. What was he doing, was Lucas even okay with this? He knew that Flint and Hinawa did it but can brothers do it too?! His mind raced for what seemed like for ever and since Lucas didn't move away fast enough, Claus took the honor of doing so as soon as he realized that the other wasn't going to move.

Claus stared at Lucas's eyes to see if maybe he could find some emotion in them or maybe just on his face but got nothing but a surprised expression. His heart sank a little with regret and embarrassment and felt sick all of a sudden, but swallowed it down and looked away, flustered.

He attempted to sound casual, but it mostly just sounded tiny and scared and nervous. "So did you taste anything or..."

Lucas paused for a moment, touching his lips, furrowing his eyebrows, moving his mouth around thoughtfully. Now it was Claus's turn to wait in anticipation.

"Mmm...," He hums in a musing tone, then grins a little. "Tastes like...a bad omelet."

"You mean my cooking!" Claus exclaims, then hits his brother lightly on the shoulder, starting to grin as well, his bad feelings bleeding away. "Jeez, that was harsh, bro! My cooking isn't that bad; I cook great omelets and you know it!"

Lucas giggles into his hand, shaking his head. "I could probably do better than you, Claus!"

"Yeah right!"

At that moment, Hinawa popped her head into their room, catching Claus's attention, and then Lucas's when he stopped laughing.

"Boys...!" She says in a sing-songy voice, and the two twins scramble into their respective sides of their bed and answer in unison, "Yes, mom!"

"Time to sleep, okay? You boys need all the sleep you can get growing up."

"And vegetables," Lucas mutters under his breath to Claus, who sticks his tongue out in protest.

They say their goodnight's and I love you's, and Hinawa blows out the candle, leaving their room in darkness except for the moonlight shining in through the window.

Like a routine, they snuggle up next to each other, Lucas's head finding Claus's shoulder. Claus looks down at his head and without a second thought, presses his lips against the mess that is Lucas's hair.

"Were you trying to smell my hair or something...?" Lucas mumbles into his shoulder afterwards, and Claus shrugs.

"I think it's called a goodnight-kiss, but sure."

Lucas smiles. "Good night, Claus."

"Night, Lucas."

In a tinier voice, "Love you..."

And an equally tiny but soft voice, "...Love you, too."


End file.
